The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-24

the Fitchburg Railroad Company. during twenty |
eight years Of which he has filled the office OF
treasurer with ability. fidelity. courtesy and I'M
usual industry.
The Financial Chronicle, in discussing the |
Bee-line report, pays this compliment to Auditor
Hewitt: In the report of the Cleveland, Co |
lumbus, Cincinnati G. Indianapolis, we have the |
material for very interesting study, not only |
of the roads operations, but of the general
course of trunk-line traffic and rates. The re-
port is even more complete in its traffic Stats
tics than usual, and contains no less than
eightv-three pages of matter, against about
sixty three or sixty-four pages in other years.
The statistics are arranged and selected. too,
with excellent Judgment, so that the information
is all useful and easily found"
The Northwestern Freight Association, which
comprises the railroads connecting Chicago with
Minneapolis & st. Paul. has raised the rate on
east bound grain and flour from u cents per 100
pounds the rate which has prevailed through
the winterl to Is cents per 100 pounds. Here Is
raise in rates of 140 per cent The new rate,
however, will continue in force for sixty days,
from the 9th inst, or. until May 26. When
that time arrives rates will be placed on sum-
mer basis-that is, they will probably be re-
stored to the 7acent basis. This action on the
part of the Northwestern roads comes rather
late in the winter on account of some little dis
putes.
AS result of the meeting of the trunk line
officials in New York, Tuesday, doubtless all
the machinery of the trunk line commission will
be retained for the purpose of providing statist
les of the movement of business, and for furnish
ing convenient methods of cooperation in the
preparation of freight classifcations, the adjust
ment OF rates. and the maintenance OF tariffs of
| rates. In simple terms, the pooling feature
| OF the trunk line combination will be abolished,
| but all the other agreements for cooperation in
| the making and maintaining of tariff rates.
classifcations, ETC., will be continued. This le-
| climate work now taxes the clerical resources
| OF Mr.. Fink's Office to their utmost, and conss-
| quenty there will be no unusual changes in the
| force. Com missioner Fink said to-day: 1.-THE
| agreements of the railroads will now be placed
on the basis that was contemplated fifteen years
| ago. At that time there was no idea of pool
ing traffic providing for division of the bus
| mess"
The Pennsylvania Company is substituting
stone arch bridges over all streams where it is
practicable AS rapidly as possible. It's stated
| that the belief of the management is that this is
the only really safe method of crossing streams.
| A number of New England roads are making
| the same permanent Improvement. the Fitch
burg road, between Boston and Fitchburg, has
none but stone arch bridges over all streams
| they cross, and in some cases they cross wide
streams On the Vandala and the L & St L.
| stone arches of sufficient capacity to let the
| water flow through freely have in numerous
| cases been substituted for wooden structures,
| and in some for iron structures dis
| tinguished engineer is quoted to the effect that
iron railroad bridges would have to be abandoned
| and the old wooden ones substituted. But why
| wooden bridges for railroads. The first cost of
stone bridges is much greater than that of either
wooden or iron ones. but stone bridge properly
built will last practically forever. There are
| bridges in Italy standing compact to-day nearly
two thousand years old, and certain to be good
for as long time to come through wear and
| tear or the touch of time and weather.
Big Scheme for Handling New York Traffic.
NEW YORK, March 23-The Commercial Ad-
vertiser asserts that scheme is on foot to revo-
lutionize the passenger and freight traffic in and
out of the city. The plan, as outlined by it,
proposes to do away with the transportation of
passengers by ferry and freight by floats to and
from Jersey City. and an abandonment of the
Grand Central Depot at Forty second street, now
England States and of that carried by the New
York Central and its connections. In place of
this, the proposed underground railroad system
is to DO used for the transportation of passen-
gers to and from the north end Of the island,
aud an elevated road, with half dozen tracks,
is to be constructed along the east bank OF the
Hudson river connecting with all the great
freight warehouses and the ocean piers, and
running to the largest switching grounds in the
world, which are to be laid out at Morrisania,
on the east side of the Harlem river. erea,
cantilever bridge is to be constructed across
the Hudson river at Fort Lee. N. j.,
and another, opposite it, across the Harlem
The tracks of the Pennsylvania and all the other
roads running into Jersey City are to run back
of that and the other towns along the wes1
bank of the Hudson to the Fort Lee bridge and
| THIS across to the great depot and switching
grounds at Morrisania, whence passengers anG
freight may be brought to their destination.
, with the least possible inconvenience and delay
. The Commercial Advertiser gives no authority
: for its statements, the names of the indlvid
uas corporations which have the scheme il
hand, but asserts positively that it will be done
:
The Central Traffic Associ alton.
CHICAGO March 23.-At to days session of tn,
Central Traffic Association a committee repor
favoring reorganization was submitted ant
! adopted. The object of the new association wa
stated to be ''to prevent undue and unreasona
f BILE preferences or disadvantages between local
tiles and persons for like and contemporaneou
service. and to avert from the railroads evil
and losses resulting from I'M Just discrimination.
1t was resolved TO adopt the consolidated CLASH
> fcations and basis Of through rates as agreed t.
: by the joint committee. The chairman was di
May /, and report substitute for these sub
pools. A discussion had regardin,
the aboishment of commissions, but NJ
= conclusions were reached. The Nickel plate
9 declined to vote for q continuance OF the asso
Q citation The Western roads have drawn out
and several Of the roads voted in the affirmative
d conditionaly.
Y At the passenger meeting of the Central
b Traffic Association, considerable il-feeling wa
8 developed over the refusal of the Chicago 4
/ Grand Trunk road to agree to the abrogation o
second-class rates. The adjustment of com
Q missions was also discussed, and a report mad
o to the managers that it was not feasible. a
s several Of the lines refused to agree to tn
= | reform.
4 Earnings of the Pennsylvania.
i PHILADELPHIA, March 23-The Pennsylvani
= Railroad Company's net earnings east of Pitts
. burg and Erie for the month of February show
\ an increase of $112553 over those of February
J. 1856 The net earnings for the two month.
> January and February, show an increase
j. 1875, 1863 the period of 1856 The line
Il west of Pittsburg and Erie show increase